Saturday, July 5, 2008

Champion Joey Chestnut

If it's the Fourth of July, it's Nathan's hot dog-eating contest.

Last year, American Joey Chestnut took the title from Japan's Takeru Tsunami" Kobayashi.

Finally, the Mustard Yellow Belt was back in America.

The rematch between Chestnut and Kobayashi was one for the ages.


NEW YORK (CNN) -- World-record holder and defending champion Joey "Jaws" Chestnut held on to his hot dog-eating title Friday in an unprecedented tie-breaker at Nathan's Famous Fourth of July contest.

Chestnut, of San Jose, California, beat rival Takeru "The Tsunami" Kobayashi, of Japan, in a "dog off" in Coney Island where the two contestants battled to see who could finish five hot dogs first.

Chestnut and Kobayashi tied in the regulation competition, both eating 59 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, a record for a 10-minute competition.

"It was a little messier than I wanted it to be, but I got them in me and I got them down," Chestnut said after the competition.

The event was broadcast live on ESPN.

Watching people shove hot dogs down their throats as fast as they can for ten minutes isn't very appetizing, but I was happy that Chestnut retained the title.

America can be proud.

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